Acetaminophen is a mild analgesic and anesthetic that is safe and effective when ingested in therapeutic doses. Overdoses of acetaminophen, however, can lead to long-term health problems and can even be fatal. For example, overdoses of acetaminophen can lead to acute liver failure which may be associated with multi-organ failure, nephrotoxicity and occasionally pancreatitis. Acetaminophen intoxication can also occur in individuals with, e.g., impaired hepatic function, renal disease, chronic alcoholism, or malnutrition.
Damage caused by high doses of acetaminophen can manifest itself by elevated serum levels of the liver enzymes aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).